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Many Thunderbolt 3 (over USB-C) based external GPU docks have proliferated (eg. Razer core). Using these we can make use of a desktop grade GPU from a laptop. I want to understand if reverse is also true. If I have a laptop or a desktop which has a good GPU inside, can I use TB3(Thunderbolt 3) to connect it to another laptop or desktop which lacks a good GPU?

The idea is to use GPU present in one machine from another machine, without using an external GPU dock. Both the machines will have TB3 over USB-C interface.

See the following image.

Share GPU over TB3

Update 1

This link (https://communities.intel.com/thread/122304) gives some hints.

This means interesting things like using your Thunderbolt 3 desktop as an external graphics card for your laptop should be possible. This would be implemented by exposing the GPU to the Thunderbolt connection as if it were a VM running on the desktop (using the IOMMU).
Sahil Singh
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    How is this related to c++ ? – Raxvan Mar 28 '18 at 10:11
  • How much programming are you willing to do? Or do you want a simple configuration-based solution? – prmottajr Mar 28 '18 at 10:12
  • I am just looking for a solution. That could involve programming, or just configuration based solution. I will make do with whatever you can provide. – Sahil Singh Mar 28 '18 at 10:13
  • The Soft way - generate image using OpenGL/DirectX in memory and send it to another machine over the USB3 or TCP/IP etc. So that another machine CPU/GPU will simply output ready image to display. I don't think this is generally good idea. Concept of distributed systems rather then centralized showing better results. – Victor Gubin Mar 28 '18 at 10:17
  • What you are saying is the general idea of GPU sharing. for eg. this is how GPUs are shared to VMs in cloud environment. My point is that since TB3 natively supports exposing PCIe interface, then can I make use of this, so that laptop 1 in above pic works like an external GPU dock for laptop 2. – Sahil Singh Mar 28 '18 at 10:19
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    This is an interesting question. That doesn't make it on-topic, though. If you're asking for an existing product, it's off-topic because not programming. If you're asking how to program it, we would have to start by telling you that PCI-e requires a driver, and that means this question is **far** to broad (and beyond your skillset - people who can write drivers would know when a driver is needed) – MSalters Mar 28 '18 at 11:18

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